Dark Swallowtail Butterflies

I have had a lot of butterflies in what I call my butterfly garden. It is actually a very small part of my flower beds. All zinnias. The butterflies love them. This year I didn't plant any zinnia seeds, but the seeds from last year have given me as many flowers as I have had in previous years. Last week I photographed butterflies on several different days. Notice the top photograph the dark swallowtail only has one row of orange spots. This tells me this is a dark Tiger Swallowtail. The Tiger can be up to 5 1/2 inches. These two photographs of the wings open are what really tells me it is a dark Tiger Swallowtail. Notice the blue highlights around the white dots, these are not present on the Spicebush Swallowtail.

Next we have a Spicebush Swallowtail, it has 2 rows of the orange spots.
The Spicebush is only up to 4 1/2 inches.

Notice the white dots on the upper wings, no second row of blue highlights.

The last photograph is a better photograph of the Spicebush.

Until I loaded the photos in the computer I did not even know I had two different types of swallowtails. The dark Tiger was photographed on 7/19. The Spicebush were photographed on 7/23 and 7/24. There were 2 Spicebush here at the same time.

Then there is the Pipevine Swallowtail, which only gets to 3 3/8 inches. When seen in the field it appears different right off, at least to me. I don't think I have ever seen a Pipevine in my own yard. The first time I photographed one was at Cataloochee Cove in the Smoky Mtns National Park. Still hope to see one this summer.

And I did see a Red Spotted Purple this summer at Rockwood, but could not get my camera quick enough for a photo. They are more rare in this area, and I have very few photographs of a Red Spotted Purple.

Tiger Swallowtail at the daylilies

These photographs were taken in my front yard earlier in the spring and summer.

The pale yellow daylily is Leedra's Delight that I have had several post about.




I had prepared these for post before I learned how to make them larger. On occasion I will still be posting this size until I have used all the photos I had previously prepared. Remember I am still on dialup so I probably have some preparation most of you don't have. All future preparations will be the larger versions.

Spicebush Swallowtail on zinnia

The photographs of the Spicebush Swallowtail speak for themself.

It was fun to follow him around.

Pale Tiger Swallowtail at zinnia

This Swallowtail were a pleasant surprise.I went outside with camera in hand hoping to catch the Goldfinch on the Sunflowers.
I am beginning to think I will not get the Goldfinch on the sunflowers. But I will settle for these, might as well.

Butterflies at the Settler's Museum of Southwest Virginia

Top photo is a Spicebush Swallowtail. The bottom 3 photos are the Great Spangled Fritillary.

As I look through the photos I took in Virginia I keep finding more I like from the Settler's Museum of Southwest Virginia. We really did enjoy the afternoon.

Swallowtail in Hyperion daylily

It is a Swallowtail. But which kind? I have pored over my book. I thought it was a Pipevine, but the bottom photo appears to show some orange on the topside. Is it the flutter of the wings, and it really is showing some of the bottom? Does anybody think you know with some confidence which type of Swallowtail it is?

Spicebush Swallowtail

These photos of the Spicebush Swallowtails were also taken on the side of the road. I am beginning to think I need to plant some thistle in my yard. (Just kidding!) I orginally had this posted as a Tiger Swallowtail, then changed it to a Pipevine Swallowtail, but I have done a LOT more research and determined it is really a Spicebush Swallowtail.

Tiger Swallowtail - Yellow

Another photo of the yellow Tiger Swallowtail from the side of the road taken the other day. Another one of God's beautiful creations.

Tiger Swallowtail on thistle

This yellow Tiger Swallowtail was on the side of the road. If you stop and take the time to find the beauty around you it is everywhere. I pulled over for another 'photo opportunity', and this is what I found.

Pipevine Swallowtails

As with all butterflies, it is hard to believe the difference when looking at them in flight and when they land and are flat. The Pipevine Swallowtail really frustrates me as a photographer. It seems I can only them get them on ugly backgrounds. These were taken in the GSMNP, but it happens in my yard too. As all butterflies, they do like wet dirt, or as we would call it, mud.